Civil Rights

What does it mean to be autistic, have Asperger's, or be on the autism spectrum? Is autism a disease to be overcome, or a difference to be embraced? Is autism advocacy like mad pride activism? Ari Ne'eman, a person on the autism spectrum and director of the Autism Self Advocacy Network, discusses the autism movement's challenge to what we consider "normal." www.autisticadvocacy.org.

Award-winning journalist Philip Dawdy, formerly a writer with the Seattle Weekly newspaper, discusses how forced psychiatric treatment and drugging are ineffective responses to violent crime and the so-called "dangerous mentally ill." Philip is the writer of the excellent blog about Big Pharma profiteering and mental health policy www.FuriousSeasons.com.

After James Chasse, a man with a schizophrenia diagnosis, was killed by Portland police in 2006, reforms included improved police training. Julie Diamond discusses efforts to help teach police better de-escalation and conflict resolution techniques as an alternative to force and violence. Check out www.mentalhealthportland.org, www.juliediamond.net, and another audio interview with Julie at http://www.katejobe.com/podcast.html.

Ireland Activist and Poet John McCarthy, Mindfreedom International representative to the United Nations, discusses being 'normally mad,' recovery, the UN Disability Convention, and challenging system abuses, in dialog with Will Hall and co-host Oryx Cohen. John also responds to callers, and reads a very moving poem about the death of a friend in the system. A very popular show.